Postage value computation systems have been described in the art. Such system, in response to information of the weight of the article to be mailed and its destination, determines the amount of postage to be applied. The required postage is a function of many variables such as, for example, different classes, whether for United States Postal Service (USPS) or United Parcel Service (UPS) or international service, etc. In addition, special fees may be selected and additional required postage for that must be computed. Such special fees may be for registered mail, special delivery, return receipt, certified, insurance, or cash on delivery.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,325 to D. F. Dlugos et al, a postal value computing system is described capable of handling a wide range of postage variables. Such system organizes the postal values in rate charts occupying areas in a memory. The system employs a digital processor, keyboard and physically replaceable memories (also known as PROMS for programmable read-only memories) such as a rate memory in which the rate charts are stored and a directory memory which stores vectors to direct a program in the processor to rate charts to which access is requested by actuations of the keyboard.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,440 to R. R. Crowley, E. P. Daniels and B. Holtz and entitled "Method And System For Computing Special Fees In A Parcel Postage Metering System", a technique is described to compute special postal fees.
In a co-pending patent application entitled "Method And Apparatus For Individualized Postage Value Computing" filed by D. F. Dlugos et al. on June 30, 1982 Ser. No. 393,839 and assigned to the same assignee a technique is described to enable a user to individualize his postage value computation system whereby only those postal rate values can be computed which the user has a need for. In such system, which employs replaceable directory and rate PROMS, the directory PROM is tailored to fit the needs of the user while the rate PROM is only updated, the rates and fees selected by the user so require. The latter system achieves such individualized tailoring by controlling data memories and without program modifications.